Games for boys and emotional literacy

07-21-2011, 10:56 AM

On page 141, Larry writes about emotional literacy in boys and games we can play with them. Any games you play to build this up with your child(ren)?

"There are games that we can play with boys to improve their emotional literacy and their ability to connect, games that won't be rejected as unmanly. Some of these activities focus on communication. In order to help boys to talk more, play simple word games and language games. One of my favorites is fortunately/unfortunately, where one person starts a story with, "Fortunately..." and the other person says the next line, starting with "Unfortunately..." You go back and forth telling a tale of disaster and rescue -- two important themes for most children. Another great game, which doesn't require words, is squiggle. An old game that was popularized among therapists by D.W. Winnicott, squiggle is very simple. One person starts a drawing, making squiggles that don't look like anything in particular. The other person has to finish the drawing, making it into something. You take turns being the one to start. The idea of these play activities is to practice the building blocks of communication. Don't expect to leapfrog directly to deep conversations."